9to5Mac reports that unlocked iPhone 5s are being stocked at Apple Stores for sale, though the exact timing of the retail offering isn't known. However, customers may be able to order an unlocked, contract-free handset on the online Apple Store beginning tonight, according to the blog's sources.

Apple sells the iPhone 5 starting at $199 for a 16GB model with a two-year service contract. Unlocked devices are expected to start at $649 as past iPhone models have. These unlocked handsets can typically be activated on any GSM-type network, including those that use pay-as-you-go SIMs and those that don't require any contract. The news should be particularly welcome for consumers who prefer T-mobile's HSPA+ network and its reasonably priced unlimited data plans.

Chris Foresman / Chris is an Associate Writer at Ars Technica, where he has spent the last five years writing about Apple, smartphones, digital photography, and patent litigation, among other topics.

I'm relatively certain they were selling unlocked iPhone 5's on launch weekend. I stood in line at Grand Central and they asked if I wanted a plan or an unlocked phone.

Interestingly, the "unlocked' line was populated almost exclusively with Chinese exchange students and tourists, all of whom were paying cash. They were sending them back home to resell. One guy told me he could get 2x the price he was paying for them.

T-Mobile now has 10 major cities using 1900MHz, and a few other smaller areas. It's terrible coverage. But now rumors are saying they may have an official iPhone by next week. I hope so, for their sake.

We have to remember that there are over 1.5 million iPhone users on their network now (T-Mobile's numbers), with almost none having access to 3G, 4G, or LTE.

T-Mobile now has 10 major cities using 1900MHz, and a few other smaller areas. It's terrible coverage. But now rumors are saying they may have an official iPhone by next week. I hope so, for their sake.

We have to remember that there are over 1.5 million iPhone users on their network now (T-Mobile's numbers), with almost none having access to 3G, 4G, or LTE.

I don't know why any person in the unlocked phone market would pay a 300 dollar premium fit the iPhone vs the Nexus 4. I guess you would have to really like the iPhone. On a whole I support unlocked phones because they put the control back to the consumer. The sooner we realize that the better off we will be. I think T-Mobile is currently the most forward thinking.

I don't know why any person in the unlocked phone market would pay a 300 dollar premium fit the iPhone vs the Nexus 4. I guess you would have to really like the iPhone. On a whole I support unlocked phones because they put the control back to the consumer. The sooner we realize that the better off we will be. I think T-Mobile is currently the most forward thinking.

Maybe because the Nexus 4 is 3G only and not 4G? Or we have an investment in the Apple ecosystem? Or we just prefer Apple to Google? There's any of a number of reasons. Be happy with your choice, and allow others to be happy with theirs.

I don't know why any person in the unlocked phone market would pay a 300 dollar premium fit the iPhone vs the Nexus 4. I guess you would have to really like the iPhone. On a whole I support unlocked phones because they put the control back to the consumer. The sooner we realize that the better off we will be. I think T-Mobile is currently the most forward thinking.

Maybe because the Nexus 4 is 3G only and not 4G? Or we have an investment in the Apple ecosystem? Or we just prefer Apple to Google? There's any of a number of reasons. Be happy with your choice, and allow others to be happy with theirs.

I agree. Though I can't help but be a bit of a smartass and mention that there are people who, because they've invested so heavily in Apple's ecosystem, keep buying iPhones instead of looking at alternatives, not because they like the iPhone the most out of what's out there to choose, but because they think of all of the money they've invested in the ecosystem over the first few years that they owned one before all of these other choices became available. No one wants to think that they have to start all over again.

You've actually been able to get one unlocked since the beginning, by going into the store and asking for the phone out-of-contract. They don't advertise that, of course, but I finally decided to try it out two weeks ago, since Apple is taking forever for the official unlocked release. Sure enough, when I plugged it into iTunes I was rewarded with the "Congratulations" screen for unlocked phones.

T-Mobile now has 10 major cities using 1900MHz, and a few other smaller areas. It's terrible coverage. But now rumors are saying they may have an official iPhone by next week. I hope so, for their sake.

We have to remember that there are over 1.5 million iPhone users on their network now (T-Mobile's numbers), with almost none having access to 3G, 4G, or LTE.

You've actually been able to get one unlocked since the beginning, by going into the store and asking for the phone out-of-contract. They don't advertise that, of course, but I finally decided to try it out two weeks ago, since Apple is taking forever for the official unlocked release. Sure enough, when I plugged it into iTunes I was rewarded with the "Congratulations" screen for unlocked phones.

Which store? When I asked Apple online, they said they only sell contract-only iPhone 5 models at this point in time. AT&T will sell them at full price but still locked, and Verizon sells them with the GSM unlocked either way.

People who prefer T-mobile's HSPA+ network will still be out of luck. The iphone5 doesn't support 1700/AWS, and 1900 3G towers are rare enough that you couldn't expect consistent 3G coverage.

It depends where you live. T-Mobile caused all sorts of outages as they tweaked their towers in the bay area for the iphone. Personally, I rather not have those bandwidth hogs on my network. I have an unlimited T-mob plan, but I don't do stupid stuff. All my podcasts are downloaded over wifi. I have satellite radio in the car, so no streaming there either.

What an unfortunate headline. Please remove the plural "5s" and use singular "5". This makes it seem as if Apple released a new iPhone 5S model, which it did not.

No, because then the S would be capitalized.

Precisely. Small ‘s’ is for plural, and large ‘S’ is for “spec bump.” E.g. “iPhone 5s” vs “iPhone 5S.” This has been the case since the iPhone 3GS was released in 2009, and we have followed this convention since then.

T-Mobile now has 10 major cities using 1900MHz, and a few other smaller areas. It's terrible coverage. But now rumors are saying they may have an official iPhone by next week. I hope so, for their sake.

We have to remember that there are over 1.5 million iPhone users on their network now (T-Mobile's numbers), with almost none having access to 3G, 4G, or LTE.

"iPhones5 are stocked …" GREAT IDEA Apple! In case you didn't realise: It's holiday season! People like me have been trying to buy a SIM-lock free iPhone 5 with more than 16 GB (here in Switzerland) FOR WEEKS now, and they are NOT AVAILABLE.

First the iOS 6 mess … than (almost) no iPhones 5 available after 3 months … what the heck is going on with you???

You've actually been able to get one unlocked since the beginning, by going into the store and asking for the phone out-of-contract. They don't advertise that, of course, but I finally decided to try it out two weeks ago, since Apple is taking forever for the official unlocked release. Sure enough, when I plugged it into iTunes I was rewarded with the "Congratulations" screen for unlocked phones.

Which store? When I asked Apple online, they said they only sell contract-only iPhone 5 models at this point in time. AT&T will sell them at full price but still locked, and Verizon sells them with the GSM unlocked either way.

I just checked the US online store a short time ago, and unlocked iPhone 5 is now available. 16 GB for $649, 32 GB for $749, and 64 GB for $849.

You've actually been able to get one unlocked since the beginning, by going into the store and asking for the phone out-of-contract. They don't advertise that, of course, but I finally decided to try it out two weeks ago, since Apple is taking forever for the official unlocked release. Sure enough, when I plugged it into iTunes I was rewarded with the "Congratulations" screen for unlocked phones.

Which store? When I asked Apple online, they said they only sell contract-only iPhone 5 models at this point in time. AT&T will sell them at full price but still locked, and Verizon sells them with the GSM unlocked either way.

I just checked the US online store a short time ago, and unlocked iPhone 5 is now available. 16 GB for $649, 32 GB for $749, and 64 GB for $849.

I can't help but notice that the iPhone 5 64GB is only $50 cheaper than the Surface Pro 64GB. The newest iPad with 64GB & cellular is $20 cheaper than an unlocked iPhone 5 w/64GB. The Surface RT with touch cover is $699, so $150 cheaper. Of course neither Surface product has cellular technology inside.

I am trying hard not to sound like a big fan of either Apple or Microsoft here, but I did find the price comparisons interesting. Obviously these devices are used for different things and price should by no means be the main comparator. From a strict BOM and spec perspective it does seem interesting though.

I can't help but notice that the iPhone 5 64GB is only $50 cheaper than the Surface Pro 64GB. The newest iPad with 64GB & cellular is $20 cheaper than an unlocked iPhone 5 w/64GB. The Surface RT with touch cover is $699, so $150 cheaper. Of course neither Surface product has cellular technology inside.

I am trying hard not to sound like a big fan of either Apple or Microsoft here, but I did find the price comparisons interesting. Obviously these devices are used for different things and price should by no means be the main comparator. From a strict BOM and spec perspective it does seem interesting though.

It's interesting to a point, but not really all that meaningful. Most people in the US don't buy unlocked phones, which is a shame. Carrier subsidies distort the market by making it appear as if different vendor's phones have equivalent value. In all likelihood Android phones are cheaper than iPhones, and if they were sold without subsidy that fact wouldn't be hidden from the consumer.

Also, I think we have to assume that smaller packaging commands a premium. So the iPhone costing a little bit more than an iPad isn't all that shocking. Surface comparisons don't make sense at all though. No hi-res screens, no cellular networking... you may as well bring a $400 Windows laptop into the comparison. But I will ask this. When you buy a 64 GB Surface how much of that 64 GB is actually available for your use?